Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Part 5>>>The Shadow of Love (an LoF adventure)

dplax · 02-17-2005, 12:28 PM

OOC: Part 2 of 5

Plaxica 85/85

"Do you know why I evoked that memory?" - the thought although he knew came from the spirit inside him caught Plaxica totally at the unawares and he nearly fell from the branch he had been holding on to.

"I have no idea."

"Observe further then." - was all the spirit communicated to him, and before Plaxica had a chance to reply he was plunged into the second memory.

It was winter. A winter, which had been especially heavy with lots of snow and temperatures well below freezing point. Not even the elders of the village had ever seen a winter this strong. Yet at the time Plaxica was not in the village. His father had sent him as an apprentice to the town of Algan Falls. Called thus because of the picturesque waterfall of the river Alg half a mile outside the town. Plaxica fourteen years old at the time was the apprentice of the renowned blacksmith and armourer Karan, called the Ironhand in some places. Karan had been a great adventurer in his own time and when he retired he became a blacksmith and getting old he took Plaxica as an apprentice. On the morning of that day Karan had sent Plaxica to gather some firewood around the falls of Alg. The falls were frozen, yet this was not what caught Plaxica's attention the most that morning.

Fresh tracks, maybe but a day old. Half a dozen men had crossed the river below the falls and had gone towards the town. Yet neither on the way to the falls, nor in town had Plaxica met any strangers and as far as he knew no one had arrived in the tavern in the last two weeks. And who would be outside in a cold like this? He was only here to gather firewood for the smith since they had ran out of it. He gathered the firewood he needed and then followed the tracks. They entered the town from behind one of the most deserted buildings and then were lost among the multitude of tracks in the main streets of the town. Deciding that if it were something important he would find out about it in due time Plaxica turned and headed towards the smithy.

Once he got there he found out. He spotted the smoke already a few streets away, and then he saw the fire when reaching the street where his mentor lived. Filled with horror Plaxica broke into a run and reached the house just as some of the city’s guards did. One of them, who recognized him as the apprentice of the blacksmith, took hold of him, and stopped him from going to the house. Nothing could be done for the burning house or those who were inside it, as any water they tried to bring froze extremely fast. The guard took Plaxica to the tavern, where the owner gave him a room. The fire died of itself the next morning, yet the house was reduced to a pile of charred timber and ashes.

Plaxica just sat in his room in the tavern, looking out the window. The captain of the guard came to see him in the middle of the day.

”Plaxica there is something I have to tell you.”

“They’re dead.” – Plaxica replied gazing fixedly in front of himself. Karan and his beautiful wife, who had been so nice with Plaxica. And their two beautiful girls, Elisa and Elanor. All dead.

”Yes, but that is not what I wanted to tell you about. They were dead before the fire started. Karan and his family were all beheaded before the house was torched.”

Plaxica’s eyes widened with shock.

“But who would have…?”

”That’s exactly what we want to find out. I need you to tell me what happened with you and Karan in the last few days.”

Then suddenly it all clicked into place in Plaxica’s fourteen-year-old mind. The unknown tracks.

“I think I might know something which could help you.”

”Yes?”

”Yesterday Karan asked me to go and get some firewood near the falls. I saw some strange tracks coming from over the river and following them on the way back saw them enter the town from behind the deserted building on the western outskirts.”

As soon as he heard this the guard captain stood up and thanking Plaxica left. Ten minutes later four guards came to Plaxica’s door and mounted guard, unknown to Plaxica at the time. The guard captain along with a dozen men left the town following the tracks. Their dead bodies were found three miles above the falls, where they had followed the tracks. They had fallen in a great battle and many marks of magic were visible around them on the ground. Three hundred feet away the bodies of six strange looking men were found. Their shoes matched the prints found near the falls and some prints found around the house of Karan Ironhand. It was never found out who they were, but most people in the town guessed that Karan had angered someone in his adventuring days, who had sent mercenaries against him and then the mercenaries themselves met their end lest they betray the one, who had sent them.

02-17-2005, 12:28 PM	#197
dplax Jack Burton Join Date: July 19, 2003 Location: an expat living in France Age: 40 Posts: 5,577	OOC: Part 2 of 5 Plaxica 85/85 "Do you know why I evoked that memory?" - the thought although he knew came from the spirit inside him caught Plaxica totally at the unawares and he nearly fell from the branch he had been holding on to. "I have no idea." "Observe further then." - was all the spirit communicated to him, and before Plaxica had a chance to reply he was plunged into the second memory. It was winter. A winter, which had been especially heavy with lots of snow and temperatures well below freezing point. Not even the elders of the village had ever seen a winter this strong. Yet at the time Plaxica was not in the village. His father had sent him as an apprentice to the town of Algan Falls. Called thus because of the picturesque waterfall of the river Alg half a mile outside the town. Plaxica fourteen years old at the time was the apprentice of the renowned blacksmith and armourer Karan, called the Ironhand in some places. Karan had been a great adventurer in his own time and when he retired he became a blacksmith and getting old he took Plaxica as an apprentice. On the morning of that day Karan had sent Plaxica to gather some firewood around the falls of Alg. The falls were frozen, yet this was not what caught Plaxica's attention the most that morning. Fresh tracks, maybe but a day old. Half a dozen men had crossed the river below the falls and had gone towards the town. Yet neither on the way to the falls, nor in town had Plaxica met any strangers and as far as he knew no one had arrived in the tavern in the last two weeks. And who would be outside in a cold like this? He was only here to gather firewood for the smith since they had ran out of it. He gathered the firewood he needed and then followed the tracks. They entered the town from behind one of the most deserted buildings and then were lost among the multitude of tracks in the main streets of the town. Deciding that if it were something important he would find out about it in due time Plaxica turned and headed towards the smithy. Once he got there he found out. He spotted the smoke already a few streets away, and then he saw the fire when reaching the street where his mentor lived. Filled with horror Plaxica broke into a run and reached the house just as some of the city’s guards did. One of them, who recognized him as the apprentice of the blacksmith, took hold of him, and stopped him from going to the house. Nothing could be done for the burning house or those who were inside it, as any water they tried to bring froze extremely fast. The guard took Plaxica to the tavern, where the owner gave him a room. The fire died of itself the next morning, yet the house was reduced to a pile of charred timber and ashes. Plaxica just sat in his room in the tavern, looking out the window. The captain of the guard came to see him in the middle of the day. ”Plaxica there is something I have to tell you.” “They’re dead.” – Plaxica replied gazing fixedly in front of himself. Karan and his beautiful wife, who had been so nice with Plaxica. And their two beautiful girls, Elisa and Elanor. All dead. ”Yes, but that is not what I wanted to tell you about. They were dead before the fire started. Karan and his family were all beheaded before the house was torched.” Plaxica’s eyes widened with shock. “But who would have…?” ”That’s exactly what we want to find out. I need you to tell me what happened with you and Karan in the last few days.” Then suddenly it all clicked into place in Plaxica’s fourteen-year-old mind. The unknown tracks. “I think I might know something which could help you.” ”Yes?” ”Yesterday Karan asked me to go and get some firewood near the falls. I saw some strange tracks coming from over the river and following them on the way back saw them enter the town from behind the deserted building on the western outskirts.” As soon as he heard this the guard captain stood up and thanking Plaxica left. Ten minutes later four guards came to Plaxica’s door and mounted guard, unknown to Plaxica at the time. The guard captain along with a dozen men left the town following the tracks. Their dead bodies were found three miles above the falls, where they had followed the tracks. They had fallen in a great battle and many marks of magic were visible around them on the ground. Three hundred feet away the bodies of six strange looking men were found. Their shoes matched the prints found near the falls and some prints found around the house of Karan Ironhand. It was never found out who they were, but most people in the town guessed that Karan had angered someone in his adventuring days, who had sent mercenaries against him and then the mercenaries themselves met their end lest they betray the one, who had sent them.